Suction cleaner



March 4, 1952 c, GERBER 2,587,991

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. 5, 1948 2 Sl-IEETS--SHEET 1 INVEN TOR. .Dqle 6. Gerber ATTORNEY.

D- C. GERBER SUCTION CLEANER March 4, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1948 INVENTOR. Da I e 6? Germ? BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEv SUCTION CLEANER Dale C. Gerber, North Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio 12 Claims.

This invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to apparatus for conditioning air passing through a suction cleaner.

An object of the invention to provide apparatus for conditioning the air discharged from a suction cleaner-and which is of rugged simple construction and economically manufactured.

A further object is to provide a device which is formed as an adjunct to the suction cleaner in order that the latter may be readily adapted for cleaning by blowing and converted to conditioning air for use in moth-proofing, and similar usage.

A still further object to the provision of simple and efiicient means for filling a chamber of the air conditioning device. with crystals which are vaporized by the flow of air therethrough in conjunction with outlets for the connection of the suction cleaner hose when either cleaning by blowing r discharging conditioned air from the suction cleaner and means for converting from one operation to the other.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective view, partly in section, showing asuction cleaner embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged exploded vertical sectional view showing the air-conditioning outlet connection for the suction cleaner hose removed from the air-conditioning device formed on tne blower end cap of a suction cleaner; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view, partly in section, of the blower end cap with the valve.

therefor set for moth-proofing.

The suction cleaner includes a casing H] to which a suction end cap I] and a blower end cap 12 are afiixed. The end cap II is provided with a suction opening for connection to a hose for drawing dirt-laden air into the cleaner casing in the normal cleaning operation. The suction end cap II is normally aifixed thereto by the usual portmanteau type latch construction I3. A dust bag M is positioned within the casing and behind the dust bag is a motor driven fan unit l5 I6 resiliently mounted on front and rear perforated bulkheads 1. and 18, as is llust a d i i ures land 2. A secondary filter i9 is provided for the final filtering of the air discharged from the dirtflltering bag i 4. The suction cleaner is provided with the usual carrying handle 2!], runners 2| for transporting the suction cleaner across the sur e. underg ing clean and th u a s i ch mechanism .227 to conn cting and disconnec in iii the electric motor 15 to a source of electrical energy. The end cap I2 is provided with an outlet port 23 through which clean filtered air is discharged in the normal operation of cleaning by suction or cleaning by blowing.

The present invention resides essentially in a vaporizing unitformed in the blower end cap [2. The-outer wall of the end cap l2 provides the front andside walls of a chamber 24 in which is placed the crystals 25 to be vaporized by the flow of clean filtered air passing therethrough. The'end cap is afiixed to the casing In by securing means 26 threaded into brackets 21 suitably secured to the casing in. The rear wall of the chamber 24 is formed by a bulkhead 28 secured to the end cap l2 and spaced from the perforated bulkhead I8 to provide an air passage for the clean filtered air discharged" in the normal Qperation of the suction cleaner through the outlet 23 and through an outlet 29 when the suction cleaner is operating as an air-conditioning device i'or moth-proofing and the like.

The blower outlet 23 is formed by a hose receptacle 3B. A similar hose receptacle 3| forms the outlet 29 for the suction cleaner when it is used as a moth-proofing device. The hose receptacle 31, however, is provided with a screen 32 which may be either a separate screen or formed by perforating the metal forming the bottom of the hose receptacle. The hose receptacle 3i; is suitably ailixed to the end cap l2 by securing means as illustrated in Figure 2. Each of the hose receptacles is provided with oppositely arrangedslots 33 to receive elliptically shaped hose retaining springs 34 as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

The construction of the hose receptacles and the latching mechanism for securing one end of the suction hose is disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of Warren A. Humphrey and Dale. G. Gerber, Serial No. 706,748,. filed October '30, 1946. Referring to the blower outlet 23, the elliptical shaped spring 34 is afiixed at its lower end to the end cap by a member 35. The elliptical retainer spring is actuated by a hose release button, 36 through an actuating member 31, as illustrated in Figure 2, a slot 38 being provided in the hose release button through which the securing means '26 extends, the slot 38 limiting the movement of the hose release button in each direction.

The suction hose is releasably mounted within the hose receptacle 3| through the action of the elliptical springv 34, connected at its upper end to a detachable ring 39 by a securing member 40. The spring is actuated through a hose release button and slider 4|. The ring 39 is detachably mounted on an annular member 42 secured to the end cap l2 by means of a pin and slot bayonet connection 43-44.

The bulkhead 28 upon which a rotary valve 45 is mounted is provided with ports 46 and 41. The port 45 is in axial alignment with an opening 48 in the hose receptacle 39. The opening 41 has an air deflector 49 fabricated from the bulkhead 28, as illustrated in Figure 2, to provide a discharge outlet 59. The deflector 49 deflects the clean filtered air after it passes through a port in the valve 45 and the opening 41in the bulkhead 28 downwardly through the opening 50 onto the mass of crystals 25 whereupon the clean filtered air discharged through the hose receptacle 35 is conditioned by vaporization of the crystals. The flow of air when the suction cleaner is operating as a vaporizing unit follows the flow lines as indicated by thesolid arrows Referring to Figure 3, a port 53 in the valve 45 is aligned with the opening 46 in the bulkhead 28 when the valve 45 is properly shifted and provides for the discharge of clean filtered air therethrough either during the operation of cleaning by suction or when it is desired to clean by blowing with the suction hose detachably positioned within the hose receptacle 30. With the valve 53 in this position, the flow of air follows the dashed lines 54 as illustrated in Figure 2.

' The valve 45 is rotatably mounted upon the bulkhead 28 by a spindle 55 suitably journaled upon the bulkhead 2B and on the outer wall of the end cap it, Figures 2 and 3. The spindle 55 is a-flixed to the valve 45 by a stud connection 56 having a squared portion to prevent rotation of the spindle 55 with respect to the circular valve 45. with a pointer, as illustrated in Figures land 3, is

aflixed to the spindle 55 to move the valve through the range of movement provided by the arcuate slots 58 formed in the rotary valve 45; and, the movement thereof is limited by stops 59 extending through the bulkhead 28 and the slots 58 and formed preferably as in Figure 2 to provide clearance for the movement of the valve 45. The construction of the valve provides for the assembly and disassembly of the vaporizer attachment in the fabrication thereof and for the replacement of parts for repairs. The position of the valve 45 isindicated by the indicia "M and B, for example, when the suction cleaner is used for cleaning by blowing and/or suction, the pointer is in the position B,? and for moth-proofing and the like, the pointer is in alignment with the indicia M. g

In the normal operation when cleaning by suction or by blowing, the valve 45 is positioned by the knurled knob 57 with the pointer thereof oppositethe letter B. The clean filtered air, after it i discharged from the filter I4 and the fan 16 is directed over the motor l5 to. cool the latter, and then passes through the perforated baifle l8 following the dashed ar rows 54 indicated in Figure 2.. Valve 45 has been so positioned that the port 53 is in alignment with the port 46 in the bulkhead 28 which in turn"is in alignment with the opening 48' of the hose receptacle 36. The clean filtered air then discharges directly to the atmosphere or, if it is desired to clean by blowing, the suction hose isconnected to the hose retainer 34, the air maybe directed wherever desired toclean by A detachable operating knob 51 provided blowing. The dusting tool hose is directly connected to the hose retainer 36 by pushing the hose into the receptacle 35 and is detached by depressing the hose release button 35.

When it is desired to air condition a room or deodorize or moth-proof a container and the like, a suitable moth-proofing, deodorant substance or other air conditioning substance of crystalline form which is vaporized by the passage of air therethrough is placed within the chamber 24 by detaching the ring 59 and attached hose receptacle 3 l. The ring 39 and hose receptacle 3| are then replaced and the dusting tool hose is connected thereto by inserting the hose within the receptacle 3i. The screen 32 prevents the discharge of the crystalline substance through the suction cleaner hose. The valve 45 is now moved so that the indicator of the adjusting knob 57 is in alignment with the indicia M bringing into alignment the ports 5! and the opening 41 formed by the air deflector 49. The clean filtered air passes through the aligned ports 5I' and 4? and is deflected downwardly through the opening 59 onto the crystalline substance 25 and then passes through the screen 32 and the suction cleaner hose as indicated by the solid arrows 52. If it is desired for example to moth-proof a clothes closet, the suction cleaner hose may be'detached' by the hose release button 4! permitting the removal of the dusting tool hose from the hose receptacle 31. Then with the suction cleaner running, the conditioned air may be directly discharged within the clothes closet from the outlet 29 to effectively moth-proof the closet.

It will also be appreciated that it is relatively simple with this vaporizing attachment to utilize different air-conditioning materials for different purposes either for charging a room with a given perfume, a deodorant substance or other air conditioning substance by emptying the chamber '24- of the particular vaporizable crystal or material then being 'in use and replacing it with another suitable vaporizable' material with which it is'desired to condition the air discharged from the suction cleaner.

It is also possible with this apparatus to either operate the suction cleaner as an airconditioning unit or as a normal suction cleaner for either cleaning by blowing or by suction by the simple expedient of positioning the pointer of the'adjusting knob 51 to the correct position for the use of the suction cleaner as desired.

It is to be understood that whereas there has been described and illustrated a practical and operable vaporizing device for a suction cleaner as applied to an end closure therefor, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: A 1. A suction cleaner comprising a casing have ing a first outlet port and an inlet port where-V conditioned air being discharged from said ads ditional outlet port upon predetermined selec? tion of the valve means preventing the flow of air through said first. outlet port utilized in the normal cleaning operation and permitting air from suction cleaner to discharge through said additional outlet port whereby the air discharged through the suction cleaner i conditioned by the vaporizable material through which the air passes prior to its discharge from said additional outlet port.

2. A suction cleaner including a first. outlet port and an inlet port whereby the vacuum cleaner is adapted for cleaning either by blowing or by suction, an additional outlet port, valve means whereby either of said outlet ports is adapted to be opened .to the flow of air within the casing upon the pro-selection ofa particular outlet port while preventing flow of air through the other outlet port, means extending from the valve means to the exterior of the casing whereby the valve means is adapted to be positioned for controlling the flow of air therethrough, a char her for vaporizable. material, closure. means for said chamber whereby the chamber is adapted to be filled with the vaporizable material, and said closure means forming said second outlet port and adapted to prevent the discharge of vaporizable material therethrough.

3. A suction cleaner including a casing having a first outlet port and an inlet port whereby the vacuum cleaner is adapted for either cleaning by suction or by blowing, an additional outlet port.

valve means for the pre-selection of the outlet port whereby the vacuum cleaner is adapted to clean by suction or by blowing and/or for conditioning the air discharged from said additional outlet port, a chamber for vaporizable material whereby the air flowing through the suction cleaner upon the pre-selection of said additional outlet port is discharged through the vaporizable' material conditioning the air for the particular operation said conditioned air is required upon the pro-selection of said additional outlet port for the discharge of the conditioned air therethrough.

4. A suction cleaner including a casing having a first outlet port and an inlet port whereby the cleaner is adapted for either cleaning by blowing or by suction, an additional outlet port, each of said outlet ports having means for attaching a suction hose thereto, valve means whereby either of said outlet ports may be pre-selected for the discharge of the air flowing through the suction cleaner, and said valve means comprising ports for each of said outlet ports and rotatable to open or close either of said outlet ports whereby the air flow within the cleaner is discharged through either of said outlet ports depending upon the pre-selection thereof while preventing the discharge of air through the other outlet port.

5. The combination with a suction cleaner comprising a blower end cap having a first blower outlet formed thereon and a suction inlet whereby the suction cleaner is adapted for cleaning either by suction or by blowing, of an additional blower outlet formed on said end cap, said end cap forming a receptacle with a bulkhead contiguous to the end cap, and valve means formed partly on said bulkhead and including actuating means extending to the front surface of the end cap whereby either of said outlet ports formed on said end cap is adapted for the discharge of the flow of air from within the suction cleaner through the outlet port which is open, the other outlet port being closed to the flow of air there;' through.

6. The combination with a suction cleaner comprising a blower end cap having a, first outlet port and a suction inlet whereby the suction cleaner is adapted for cleaning by blowing or, by

suction, of an additional outlet port formed on: said end cap whereby the flow of air through the suction cleaner is adapted to be conditioned, a bulkhead formed continguous to the end cap and mounted upon the cleaner to form a charm her with the end cap, a closure. for said additional outlet port detachably mounted with respect to the end cap and adapted to mount a suction cleaner hose thereon, said detachable closure when removed exposing said chamber for filling the latter with a vaporizable material whereby the air flow within the suction cleaner vaporizes the. aforesaid material to condition the air dis,- charged from said additional outlet port upon the preeselection thereof depending upon whether it is desired to clean by blowing or by suction and/ or conditioning the air by vaporizing a vaporizable. material.

'7. The combination with a suction cleaner comprising a blower end cap having a first bloweroutlet' formed thereon and a suction inlet whereby the suction cleaner is adapted for cleaning by blowing or by suction, of a second blower outlet formed on said end cap, each of said blower out lets adapted to detachably mount a suction hose thereon, valve means for pre-selecting either of said blower outlets for the discharge of air therefrom or preventing the flow of air from the other, areceptacle formed by the end cap and said valve means to receivea vaporizable material for conditioning the. air discharged from saidv second blower outlet, and said second blower outletproevided with a combined detachable closure and suction hose connection whereby the receptacle for the vaporizable material is adapted to be filled and the suction cleaner hose adapted to be attached and detached while preventing discharge of the vaporizable material by the flow of air therethrough.

8. The combination with a blower end cap of a suction cleaner including a first blower outlet, of an additional blower outlet formed thereon, valve means for each of said blower outlets whereby the flow of air from the suction cleaner is adapted to be discharged through either of said blower outlets depending upon whether it is desired to clean by suction and blowing and/or by conditioning the air discharged from the suction cleaner for moth-proofing, insect-proofing, deodorizing and/or freshening the contents of a closure.

9. The combination with a blower end cap for a suction cleaner including a first blower outlet, of an additional blower outlet, each of said outlets comprising a suction hose connection whereby a suction hose is adapted to be attached and detached thereto, valve means, means for actuating the valve means extending to the surface of said end cap for each of said blower outlets,

whereby each of the latter is adapted to be preselected for the discharge of the fiow of air from the cleaner while preventing the flow of air through the unselected blower outlet.

10. The combination with a suction cleaner comprising an end cap, a first blower outlet formed thereon, of an additional blower outlet formed thereon, each of said outlets including a suction hose receptacle, means for detachably connecting a suction hose to said suction hose in the receptacle formed by the end cap, a bulkhead, valve means formed on said bulkhead, and means providing an opening in the bulkhead to deflect air through the vaporizable material With said valve means positioned to discharge treated air through said additional blower outlet.

11. As an article of manufacture, 'a vaporizing device for a suction cleaner, said vaporizing device comprising an end cap. for a suction cleaner, a first blower outlet formed on the suction cleaner' and including a hose receptacle, means for dew tachably mounting a suction hose to said receptacle, a second blower outlet formed on the end cap, means for detachably mounting a hose receptacle to said second blower outlet, means formed on said last mentioned means for detachably connecting a suction hose to said last mentioned hose receptacle, valve means for said blower outlets whereby either of the blower outlets is connected to the interior of the suction cleaner, a chamber formed between said end cap and said valve means for vaporizable material, and means for deflecting air through the vaporizable material, manually operated means for said valve means extending to the exterior of said end cap whereby either of said blower outlets is preselected depending upon whether the air discharged from the suction cleaner is to be discharged through said first blower outlet or said second blower outlet.

12. The combination with a suction cleanercomprising a casing having an inlet, of a vaporizer attachment for the suction cleaner, said vaporizer attachment formed integrally with a blower end can of the suction cleaner, a blower outlet formed on said end cap, a second blower outlet on said end cap, each ofsaid blower outlets detachably mounting a dusting tool hose thereon, said second blower outlet including a hose connection having the inner end thereof perforated to prevent the discharge of solid material from within the vaporizer to the exterior of the suction cleaner; said hose connection detachably mounted on the end cap whereby the vaporizer may be filled with and emptied of a vaporizable material, valve means mounted within the suction cleaner to form with the blower end cap a chamber for said vaporizable material, and means for actuating the valve means extending to the exterior of said suction cleaner whereby either of the blower outlets is adapted to be pre-selected depending upon whether said suction cleaner is to be utilized as a suction cleaner or as a vaporizer.

DALE C. GERBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

